Written Answers Thursday 31 July 2008

Scottish Executive

Children

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that its concordat with local government provides for full delivery of Scotland’s responsibilities under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government supports the provisions of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and is committed to the better implementation of the convention rights in Scotland. We are committed to working with local authorities to achieve the 15 national outcomes - delivery of which will help ensure that all children in Scotland enjoy the rights set out in the UNCRC.

Children

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will introduce children’s rights impact assessments.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is committed to promoting and supporting the rights of children in Scotland. We are currently looking into the possibility of using a children’s rights impact assessment tool to help inform the development of policy and legislation.

Children

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that it delivers on its responsibilities under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is committed to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and has already taken action to ensure that all children in Scotland have the same rights: giving asylum seeker children equal access to higher education and announcing plans to end the remanding of children in our prisons. We will also respond to the concluding observations from the UN committee in the autumn with an action plan setting out the further steps we will take to better implement the convention in Scotland.

Concessionary Travel

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors the cost of the concessionary travel scheme for pensioners and disabled people going across the Scottish border and, if so, what the cost of such travel has been in each year since the introduction of the scheme.

Stewart Stevenson: Cross-border travel (i.e. journeys made to and from Carlisle and to and from Berwick-upon-Tweed) is not monitored as the information cannot be identified from the reimbursement claims submitted by bus operators. Operator claims are generally at service number level, not individual passenger flow level.

Culture

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the specific details of the competition for the Saltire Prize will be available and when the competition will open.

Jim Mather: The First Minister will announce details of the Saltire Prize challenge on St Andrew’s Day 2008. Details of the competition will also be published at this time.

Digital Technology

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much public funding has been awarded to the Connected Communities project annually since its inception.

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much public funding is budgeted for the Connected Communities project for 2008-09.

Jim Mather: Connected Communities is led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and it is HIE who deal with all operational matters around its funding and delivery.

Enterprise

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-13128 by Jim Mather on 3 June 2008, what the value of each regeneration project (a) is in 2008-09 and (b) will be for the following three years.

Jim Mather: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I will ask its Chief Executive to write to you in this regard.

Nuclear Waste

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive in how many instances nuclear waste has been transported by (a) road, (b) rail, (c) air and (d) sea through or across Scotland in each year since 1999.

Stewart Stevenson: The transportation of nuclear waste through or across Scotland is reserved to the UK Government.

Rail Network

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which railway stations it or its agencies have recommended for upgrade since 17 May 2007, under the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme.

Stewart Stevenson: When the Department for Transport launched the GB-wide Railways for All strategy in March 2006, six stations in Scotland were proposed for making step free under the first phase of the 10-year Access for All programme. These stations were Dalmuir, Kirkcaldy, Motherwell, Mount Florida, Rutherglen and Stirling. Following a review of the programme budget a further two stations were added to those given priority in the first phase, these were Barrhead and Cupar.

  Transport Scotland has also recommended a further five stations to be improved under the second phase of the programme from April 2009. I accept these recommendations and approval is now being sought from the Secretary of State for Transport at Westminster. The stations recommended are Easterhouse, Hyndland, Linlithgow, Montrose and Perth.

  In addition, 19 stations across Scotland have received a total investment of £1.23 million from the Access for All small schemes fund since 2006. This investment has delivered a range of improvements designed to increase access to the rail network for passengers with a wide range of sensory impairments.

Rail Safety

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) fatalities and (b) serious injuries have been incurred as a result of railway incidents in each year since 1998.

Stewart Stevenson: The information requested is given in table 8.19 of Scottish Transport Statistics No. 26: 2007 Edition , published by Scottish Government in December 2007, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 44371).

  Table 8.19 was compiled by the HM Railway Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive. Responsibility for the HM Railway Inspectorate transferred from the Health and Safety Executive to the Office of Rail Regulation on 1 April 2006.

  Rail safety is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament.

Roads

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value is of backlogged road repairs in each local authority, also broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Stewart Stevenson: This information is not held centrally. The Scottish Government provides local authorities with funding for roads and transport through the core local government finance settlement and each council is responsible for the maintenance and improvement of local roads in its area. It is entirely a matter for councils to decide what priority is given to local roads and to allocate resources accordingly.

Scottish Government Expenditure

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it spent on (a) public opinion polling and (b) market research in 2007-08.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government did not incur any spend on opinion polls or market research over the period 2007-08 and does not routinely commission or undertake this type of work.

Scottish Government Staff

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategies it has in place to ensure that there is no age discrimination in its recruitment and retention processes.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has introduced a "no retirement age" policy for Band A-C staff and the Cabinet Office has raised the normal retirement age for the Senior Civil Service (SCS) from 60 to 65. Staff in the SCS can apply for an extension to their contract beyond age 65.

  There is a requirement for all selection exercises that at least one member of the interview panel has received training in competency based interview techniques. This training includes diversity considerations, including age discrimination. All contractors involved in the recruitment process are briefed on and are required to comply with our diversity policies.

Sexual Offences

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many fiscal staff work for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service as dedicated rape and sexual offences specialists, broken down by sheriffdom.

Frank Mulholland QC: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s (COPFS) review of the investigation and prosecution of rape and sexual offences recommended that specialism should be achieved by the development of a system of approval for staff who investigate sexual offence cases. It is intended that by summer 2009 the investigation of all sexual offences will be undertaken by approved specialists. The principal condition of approval is that staff undertake a programme of specialist training and, to date, 268 members of staff have completed that programme. The number of specially trained investigators currently working in each area of COPFS is as follows:

  

 Argyll and Clyde
 24


 Ayrshire
 21


 Central
 20


 Crown Office
 9


 Dumfries and Galloway
 14


 Fife
 17


 Glasgow
 66


 Grampian
 14


 Highlands and Islands
 15


 Lothian and Borders
 30


 Lanarkshire
 21


 Tayside
 15


 Additional Non Area Based Personnel
 2

Transport

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards each of the key objectives of its Travel Plan, introduced in December 2007.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government’s travel plan set out commitments across a number of specific objectives. This represents a programme of activity to be implemented by March 2010. The following sets out the progress against each objective that has been achieved so far.

  Objective 1 – to reduce the need to travel:

  We are promoting alternative working patterns across the Scottish Govenment estate;

  We are promoting the use of video conferencing and we are constantly looking at ways to improve facilities and use better technology.

  Objectives 2 and 3 – to increase awareness among staff of travel choice and their implications and to facilitate and promote more active modes of travel:

  We are communicating with staff to promote the benefits of sustainable travel;

  The internal advertising campaign within the Scottish Government of the travel plan commenced on 14 June 2008 in conjunction with Bike Week;

  We advertised cycle training for staff during Bike Week;

  Objective 4 – to increase the share of staff commuting to work by public transport, cycling and walking:

  The internal advertising campaign on the travel plan is focussing on walking during August 2008 promoting the benefits of walking to and from work and during lunch breaks;

  We have cycle friendly employer status at Victoria Quay and will be working towards the award for the other buildings by March 2009. This will include upgrading facilities where necessary including parking facilities and showers;

  During Bike Week our objective was to provide staff with the tools to try cycling to work safely and we provided cycle routes maps (Spokes maps) for Edinburgh and Glasgow. Trycycling manned an information stand promoting various cycling events. The bike station also had a stand providing servicing for bikes;

  We will be going out to tender shortly for a salary sacrifice scheme for a bike to work scheme;

  The internal advertising campaign will be focussing on bus travel in August 2008 and train travel in September 2008.

  Objective 5 – to reduce car use in particular single occupancy car journeys by commuting staff:

  From 21 July 2008 there will car sharing priority parking in both Victoria Quay and Saughton House;

  European in town without my car day is 22 September 2008 and the Scottish Government will be supporting it through the internal advertising campaign to staff;

  Promotion of bus and rail travel will be undertaken in August and September 2008 and will include different formats of travel information.

  Objective 6 – to introduce a parking system which supports the delivery of the other travel objectives:

  Staff that car share from 21 July 2008 will be eligible for priority parking in Victoria Quay and Saughton House;

  The travel plan coordinator is working with other client committees to look at a more needs based parking system for the remaining buildings.

  Objective 7 – to maximise the efficiency of our fleet:

  Over the past year more emphasis has been placed on purchasing vehicles with lower CO2 emissions. This is set to continue in the future through its replacement programme;

  Driver training includes methods to improve fuel efficiency.

  Objective 8 – to increase the share of more sustainable forms of transport on official business:

  The Scottish Government travel plan operates at a number of levels. First, it challenges staff to consider if the proposed journey is absolutely necessary or if the business objectives could be met in another way (email, telephone, video-conference). If a journey is still considered necessary the travel plan then goes on to outline options for ensuring that staff use the mode of transport most appropriate for the journey;

  The travel plan also underpins a number of ongoing and current initiatives. For example, the current taxi contract enables staff to taxi share to the same destination. From August 2008 there will be internal promotion to Scottish Government staff of the benefits of taxi sharing, bus and rail travel.

  Objective 9 – to ensure the travel plan is embedded into existing processes, costed and reviewed on a regular basis:

  A travel plan coordinator has been appointed who sits on the client committees at each of the Scottish Government’s buildings covered by the travel plan;

  Senior management within the Scottish Government receive regular updates on the progress of implementation of the travel plan;

  The Travel Plan Coordinator has liaised with Directorates across the Scottish Governmetn on developments arising from implantation of the plan;

  A travel survey is being planned for 2009;

  The full review of the Scottish Government travel plan is scheduled for 2010;

  The travel plan coordinator regularly visits the main sites covered by the travel plan.

Transport

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place to allow it to monitor, regulate and ensure the security of the transport of dual-use pathogens.

Stewart Stevenson: The mechanisms in place to monitor, regulate and ensure the security of the transport of dual-use pathogens is a matter reserved to the UK Government.

Transport

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what actions have been submitted to Transport Scotland by Tactrans to be considered for inclusion in the strategic transport projects review.

Stewart Stevenson: The strategic transport projects review (STPR) has considered a range of proposals from various sources including the seven regional transport partnerships. These partnerships have been involved individually and collectively in developing the STPR.

  Tactrans have proposed approximately 30 interventions which they consider to be relevant for consideration as part of the STPR. All of the proposals have been given due consideration within the STPR process.

  The initial findings of the STPR will be reported to ministers during the summer of 2008.

Water and Sewerage Services

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to introduce first-time sewerage schemes in rural areas.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Water (SW) has been required in its present investment programme to meet the strategic capacity requirements of all estimated new development in Scotland. This duty is caveated only by the limitation on making connections beyond what can be done at reasonable cost.

  In April 2006, new regulations, The Provision of Water and Sewerage Services (Reasonable Cost) (Scotland) Regulation 2006 came into force. For the first time, they defined the calculation of reasonable cost. This is the contribution that SW will make towards the costs of making a connection to the public water or wastewater networks. The person/developer seeking the connection would be required to pay the balance of the costs involved beyond the reasonable cost contribution from SW.

  There will be circumstances in parts of Scotland where it is not physically possible to provide such connections to the public networks other than at unreasonable cost, or where people chose not to connect to the networks. However, SW can advise on this process including estimated costs, and their website includes a helpful section called "Getting Connected". They can also be contacted through the customer helpline at 0845-601-8855 or at the dedicated email address:

  connections@scottishwater.co.uk.

Wildlife

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns over the findings in the report, A Conservation Framework for Golden Eagles: implications for their conservation and Management in Scotland.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is concerned about the findings contained in this report. The report concluded that the conservation status of golden eagle populations was favourable in only three of 16 regions where eagles have occupied territories since 1982. These are all in western areas. The most serious failures to meet favourable conservation status tests were in the central and eastern Highlands where less than half of all known territories were occupied.

Wind Farms

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to issue its determination on the Clyde windfarm application, given that the inquiry report was received more than one year ago.

Jim Mather: The Clyde wind farm was granted consent on the 21 July 2008.

  The consent and decision letter can be viewed on the Scottish Government’s Energy Consents website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Energy-Consents/Applications-Database.